The anniversary of Hajj

By Vestnik Kavkaza

The Russian pilgrims-Muslims ended their tenth organized Hajj. "The Hajj 2012 is anniversary because the Committee on Hajj and the Hajj Mission of Russia were founded in 2002," the deputy chairman of the Federation Council, the attorney on Hajj issues in the Commission on Religious Entities under the Russian government, Ilyas Umakhanov, said. "In August the anniversary session of the Council on Hajj took place in Grozny. We support the practice of guest sessions. Earlier they took place in Makhachkala and Kazan. We can say that in recent decade we managed to establish a high-qualitative Hajj organization system within the existing legal system. For example, in 2002 only 3000 pilgrims from 8 regions undertook the Hajj; in 2012 - 20653 pilgrims from 55 regions of Russia."

Meanwhile, it appears the Mufti Council of Chechnya intends to limit Muslims in multiple undertaking of the Hajj to Saudi Arabia. They try to solve the problem of the quota lack for those who want to take part in the Hajj to Mecca. A representative of the Chechen Mufti Council told RIA Novosti that "every Muslim has to undertake the Hajj to Saudi Arabia at least once in his life. When the time for pilgrimage comes, there is great excitement about the quota given to our republic. The number of tickets is much less than the number of those who want to undertake Hajj. Thus, some people do it annually, while others have never done it. From now on the priority will be given to first-timepilgrims."

Ilmam Bechurkayev, the deputy president of Kunta-Hajji Russian Islamic University, told Vestnik Kavkaza that "this year more than 5 thousand pilgrims from the Chechan Republic undertook the Hajj. 3.5 thousand pilgrims were sent due to efforts of the head of our republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. All quotas were allocated fairly between organizations, facilities, towns, villages, and districts. I represent Kunta-Hajji Russian Islamic University. More than 50 tutors and students undertook the Hajj thought Kadyrov Fund. The Hajj was successful. Everybody returned home. Due to the fact that the right and targeted work on organization and conduction of the Hajj is doing, and the Committee on Hajj is improving the work year by year, services in this sphere are being provided. We are pleased and express great gratitude to the head of our republic." Commenting on the situation with tolerance in Chechnya, he said: "Our republic makes the cornerstone of latitude in religion and tolerance. And the situation is favorable in this direction. Along with mosques we have churches. Everybody cooperates between each other, participates in joint events. I think we will gain more achievements in this sphere, as we have to pay special attention to this because of the conflict happened in our republic in the past. We have no seeable problems due to efforts by our head of the republic, the Committee of Religion under the government, and the Ministry of External Economic Contacts. The planned targeted work is implemented for representatives of all confessions would live peacefully and work, act, function in favor of our motherland."